Welcome back to another Fantasy Friday! If you haven't already heard, the beta is indeed open, and keys can be claimed from the link at the top right of the forums - so claim yours before we're all out!

Today we will be showing off a new mini faction: the Dwarfs. Along with Dawn of Fantasy’s main playable races – the elves, orcs, and men, and their subfactions (including goblins, ogres, wizards, and walking woods) – the world of Mythador is home to an abundance of creatures just waiting for the great war to reach their remote homelands. Chief among these factions are the Dwarfs of Dunn Erghast and the Dragons of Sssilistra, whose lands can be visited in northeastern and southwestern Mythador, respectively.

Dunn Erghast, so humans say, is a place where you either lose your hearing or your sanity, so loud and incessant are the bangings and clangings of dwarf mining operations. Dunn Erghast is the center of the dwarf realm. Above ground, the landscape is bleak, desolate and unforgiving. Below ground, it is worse. In the unstable tunnels, dwarfs work ceaselessly, hacking and burrowing. Their labyrinthine abode contains many riches, but only dwarfs possess the skill to navigate that treacherous subterranean dimension. Thus, dwarfs have maintained a contented existence in this unfriendly domain.

While these the dragons and dwarfs will not playable factions upon Dawn of Fantasy’s initial release, their lands can be visited by the most daring of armies, offering plenty of loot and experience for those who step foot in Sssilistra and a chance to steal from the legendary dwarven gold deposits in Dunn Erghast. The Elves of Nhob’ru, ancient enemies of the Dwarfs, tend to stay away from the mines, making their way to Sssilistra where their mighty magic can help drown out dragon fire, severely weakening the brutes’ strength. The greedier Men of Teria and Orcs of Nhob’ru, on the other hand, can often be seen clinging to the walls of the underground dwarven mines, but they all pay the price of their looted gold in blood.

In addition, Dwarf and Dragon units can be recruited as mercenaries to fight in your army. Select mercenary units can be recruited from the Dawn of Fantasy Booster Shop with Influence points, a rare resource that can be either purchased or received through Player versus Player combat and quest completion. The units vary in price, with the dwarven infantry and the small green dragon available to most built-up estates and the elite Royal Dragon available only to the greatest of empires, thanks to its hefty price. Mercenaries act like any other player-controlled units and can be grouped into World Map armies or left to defend your homeland, and can be levelled up through combat or healed at an ally NPC town.

Once on your side, these units will greatly increase the strength of your forces. With the introduction of dwarven gunpowder and dragon fire power, your enemies will be left scrambling and praying for a quick death as you walk right into their highest keep.

The following five units can be recruited to fight in your ranks, strengthening your army with both brute force and the element of surprise. We will check out the Booster Shop from which you can purchase these units closer to release, as we discuss its role in Dawn of Fantasy!

Dwarf Mercenaries

Dwarven Cannon

A devastating weapon capable of quickly turning even the strongest walls to rubble, the Dwarven Cannon shoots a large metal ball that destroys anything in its path. Any lord seeking to siege another town would be well advised to acquire a few of these formidable weapons.

Dwarven Miner

As the saying goes 'If you need something mined, ask a Dwarf'. Dwarven Miners are renowned as the best miners in Mythador. Though expensive, adding Dwarven Miners to your town or army camp is well worth the cost as it will greatly enhance your resource production capabilities.

Dwarven Rifleman

The mysterious and powerful new weapon called a Gun makes the Dwarven Riflemen a force to be reckoned with, allowing them to cut down enemy units at range with a hail of molten lead. Many an army has been forced to flee Dwarven lands when confronted with this deadly new weapon.

Dwarven Axeman

Wielding a massive battle axe and wearing thick armor, Dwarven Axemen are fearsome foes, felling their enemies quicker than a lumberjack fells trees. The Dwarven Axemen is a fine addition to any army, knowing no fear and wading into their enemies with glee.

Dwarven Battler

Dwarven Battlers are down-and-dirty brawlers that love to fight and crush their enemies skulls beneath their heavy Dwarven hammers. Even the bravest warriors would think twice before confronting these blood-thirsty Battlers.

And if you missed last week's Fantasy Friday, head on over here to check out the Dragons of Sssilistra!

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"The sky grows lighter my friends. The break of day should cheer the heart. But for us, sunrise brings only bloody war. Make thou ready. Defend my people well." - Prince Erian IV, Dawn of Fantasy

These things aren't rifles. Muskets at best, or probably something even more primitive. You can tell that these guns are smoothbore just by looking at them. Why is that unit called rifleman if it's not using a rifle? Maybe unit should be renamed? Dwarven Gunner for example. Or Musketeer. Rifle is too advanced for classic fantasy setting anyway. Besides, however advanced, even dwarven technology in this game is somewhere near late medieval age (all the heavy armor and massive melee weapons), so rifles are out of place... and riflemen too.